Pencil holder or the like



Dec. 18, 1962 D. E. PULLINS PENCIL HOLDER OR THE LIKE Filed May 11. 1959FIG. 3.

INVENTOR Donald E. Pal/ins FlG.l.

ATTORNEY 3,068,840 PENCIL HOLDER OR THE LIKE Donald E. Pullins, 5314 8thRoad 5., Arlington 4, Va. Filed May 11, 1959, Ser. No. 812,179 2 Claims.(Cl. 12023) This invention relates to pencil holder or the like and inparticular relates to a pencil holder of the pocket or receptacle typewhich may be attached to the end cover of a book.

In referring to a pencil holder in the course of the specification, itis to be expressly understood that pencils, pens, crayons or otherwriting instruments are to be embodied in the term.

It has been recognized for some time that it is desirable to have apencil holder that may be attached in some form or other to a book. Forone thing, it provides a convenient manner of carrying pencils and pensfor the user who is typically a school child. Among the many advantagesthat may be ascribed to the use of a pencil holder and book combinationinclude the elimination of tearing of shirts, puncturing of trouserpockets, and marking of pocketbooks.

In making a pencil holder of the type described, it is desirable to havea pencil holder that will permit advertising material to be printed,embossed, or otherwise presented on the holder to make the sponsorshipor manufacturer of the pencil holder attractive to various businessconcerns. It would also be desirable to have the holder prepared from asingle cut blank in order to facilitate rapid and economical formationof the pencil holder.

Other desirable features of a pencil holder of the type which may beattached to a book include the use of a lightweight material so as notto make it cumbersome to carry the book and to have a. compact holderwhich will not interfere with the opening and closing of the book.Additionally, the holder should not mar or mutilate the book.

According to the present invention, all of the foregoing advantages anddesirable features are present in the pencil holder of the invention byvirtue of the discovery of a unique blank that may be stamped or cutfrom a thin strip of plastic material and formed into a pencil holder ofthe pocket or receptacle type. The blank is formed from a strip ofmaterial that may be readily inserted beneath the end cover of a bookand snapped in front thereof. A plurality of snaps are provided toenable the pencil holder to be used with books of various sizes.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providea novel pencil holder or the like which may be attached to the end coverof a book and which will not require mutilation or alteration of thecover.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pencil holderor the like which may be formed from a unitary blank and which isadapted to be attached to the end cover of a book.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pencilholder or the like adapted to be attached to the end cover of books ofvarious sizes.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novelpencil holder or the like attachable to the end cover of a book whichwill not interfere with the opening and closing of the book.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention shallbecome more apparent upon reference to the following specification andclaims and appended drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the pencil holder blank;

3,068,846 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 from a thermoplastic material having athickness in the order of A of an inch. The blank 10 is shown to consistof a main flexible panel 12 which is adapted to overlie the end cover ofa book. Main flexible panel- 12 is separated by a fold line 14 from atop panel 16. Another fold line 18 separates top panel 16 from anattaching strip 20. A fold line 22 separates the main flexible panel 12from a long thin strap 24. The heads of a pair of snaps are indicated at26 which are selectively engageable with a mating closure snap 28 on themain flexible panel 12. Integral with the main flexible panel 12 andpositioned above and substantially in line with fold line 14 is asimilar fold line 30 which connects a closure flap indicated generallyat 32 with the main flexible panel 12. The closure flap 32 is furtherprovided with a sealing portion 34 which is adapted to be folded overand sealed upon main flexible panel 12 and a flap portion 36. The latteris provided with a closure snap 38. A fold line 35 permits the flapportion 36 to be bent downwardly toward top panel 16 so that closuresnap 38 may engage mating closure snap 40.

It will be noted that there is a cut-out or slotted portion 42 whichseparates the closure flap 32 from the top panel 16. Also the closureflap is undercut slightly at 43 to lessen the chance of the flap portion36 tearing in the course of its use.

Reference is made to FIGURE 2 which illustrates the pencil holderattached to a book. The book is generally indicated at 46 having a frontcover 48 and a back cover 59. In order to reach the position shown inFIGURE 2, the top panel 16 is folded along the fold line 14 on top ofthe main flexible panel 12 and attaching strip 20 is carried over andbehind main flexible panel 12. The attaching strip 20 is preferablyattached to the main flexible panel 12 by a heat sealing operation but,alternatively, may be attached thereto by a suitable adhesive. The toppanel 16 is attached to the main flexible panel 12 by a heat sealingoperation immediately above the fold line 22 to form the bottom portionof a receptacle or pocket which is indicated at 45 in FIGURE 3. Insimilar fashion the closure flap 32 is folded over the top of the mainflexible panel 12 and the entire sealing portion 34 is heat sealed topanel 12. The flap portion 36 is shown with the closure snap 38 inengagement with the mating closure snap 40. Finally, the long thin strap24 is slipped behind the end cover designated at 44 in FIGURE 3 and oneof the snaps 26 is engaged with the mating snap 38.

Reference may be had to FIGURE 3 for a sectional view of the pencilholder.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURE 4. Reference tothat figure shows a blank 10 similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 exceptthat the strap 24 is integral with the top panel 16 and is joinedthereto along a fold line 52. Additionally, the strap 24 is providedwith a tapering portion 54 which tapers down from the full width of thetop panel 16 to the narrow width of the strip 24. The purpose of thetapering portion 54 is to provide a bottom closure for the pocket orreceptacle 45 when the strip 24 is in the assembled position shown inFIGURE 2. Alternatively, the bottom may be formed for the blank inFIGURE 4 by a heat sealing operation in the marginal portion in the 3main flexible panel 12 and the top panel 16 immediately abovethe foldline 52.

Since the blank from which the pencil holder is formed is of a plasticmaterial, it may have suitable painting or embossing thereon which maycarry the name or advertising of the manufacturer.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that there has been provided anovel pencil holder which may easily be attached to the end cover of'abook without mutilating or altering the cover and which may be appliedto books of various sizes by virtue of the number of snaps 26 on thestrap 24. In this regard, it will be appreciated that although only twoof these snaps have been illustrated, additional snaps may be providedif desired. It is also advantageous to have the pencil holder formedfrom a single blank since the manufacture may be accomplishedeconomically and in a minimum of time. Finally, it will be understoodthat by virtue of the fact that the width of the pencil holder does notexceed the width of the book on which it is to be used that the booksmay be stacked on a bookshelf without requiring additional space andalso the book may be opened or closed without interference'from thepencil holder.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and'desired to be secured by the United States LettersPatent is:

1. A pencil holder or the like adapted to be attached to the end coverof a book comprising a stamped blank having a receptacle for pencilsopen at one end formed from first and second flexible panels, anattaching strip on one of said vflexible panels secured to the other ofsaid flexible panels, a flexible strap united to said first flexiblepanel along a marginal edge thereof, said flexible strap adapted to beinserted behind said' end cover, closure means onsaidfirst flexiblepanel engageable with mating closure means on said strap, and agenerally rectangular closure flap united to a'longitudinal marginaledge of said first flexible panel along a portion of one marginal edgeof said closure flap, said generally rectangular closure flap having afirst portion folded over and heat sealed to said first flexible paneland a second portion; folded at right angles to said first portion andprovided with closure means engageable with mating closure means on saidsecond flexible panel. 3

2. A pencil holder or the like as defined in cla'imil wherein the edgeof said closure flap united to the longitudinal marginal edge of saidfirst flexible panel is provided with a cut away portion at one end toprevent the tearing of said closure flap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS967,487 Baker Aug. 16, 1910 1,787,791 May Ian. 6, 1931 1,996,664 WalkerApr. 2, 1935

